Writer Wednesday: Why every writer should read

I would guess that on virtually every writer’s list of favourite hobbies, writing would fall pretty high already. Some of us get too busy and the reading falls by the wayside, but it’s still something we like to do.

Here’s a few reasons why it’s important to keep reading as a writer.

1. Learning about craft.

Yes, reading non-fiction books about writing helps immensely. Keep doing this. But also reading fiction of all kinds. Look for what works and what doesn’t work. (The latter is often more obvious)

2. Improving vocabulary.

Different authors use different words. And they use the same words in different ways. You can broaden your horizons verbally by looking at how others string words together.

3. Widening your pool of style devices.

If you step outside your reading comfort zone and read a variety of different genres and styles, you’ll gain a whole new collection of tools for your writer’s tool box. And it’ll be a lot more fun to glean these from reading a good story than from a textbook.

4. Know what’s out there.

Getting acquainted with what’s available at a bookstore or library will tell you what’s already overdone, what readers are devouring right now, and what might be unexplored territory.

5. Remember why you write.

Guaranteed every writer out there started writing because you read a story that you loved and wanted to create more. Reading will reawaken that inspiration that got you started in the first place, and that’s got to be good for your writing.

So take some time to pick up a book today, and remind yourself that reading time is writing time. 🙂

I never read a book that I didn’t learn from, even if it was what NOT to do. But I have the opposite problem of reading a little too much. As much as I love to write, I have to force myself to put other people’s books down and work on my own sometimes. Then again, they often trigger an elusive scene in coming out to play.